
MBS Equipment Company (MBSE) is opening its new east coast headquarters in Georgia. MBSE is the largest studio-based equipment company in the world for film, television, and events. The headquarters, based in Fayette County at Trilith Studios, will span 100,000 square feet, making it the company’s largest global hub.

Savannah College of Art and Design announces the award winners for the 24th annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival. A key stop on the festival circuit leading up to the Academy Awards, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival screened more than 150 films, including 45 narrative films, 15 documentary films, and 97 shorts, with 14 world premieres in 2021.

Moonshine and Bare Knuckles started preparing for this year’s Halloween in September 2020 on the stage and cutting room of Creepshow Seasons 2 and 3. Amidst a global shutdown, we helped make back-to-back seasons for Shudder’s streaming platform and AMC television—just in time for spooky season.

The Savannah Regional Film Commission was nominated for its work on The Underground Railroad, a 2021 television series that chronicles Cora Randall’s desperate bid for freedom in the Antebellum South. Five other film commissions were also nominated for the award including Estonian Film Institute, Bath Film Office, Screen Queensland Australia, Liverpool Film Office, and Hamilton Music & Film Office.

Festival organizers for the ME Film Festival have announced the festival will be going virtual. “Putting safety guidelines in place doesn’t save money, time, or extra headaches, but if it helps keep one person from getting sick, it’s worth it,” says Jeremiah Bennett, president and chair of the board for the ME Film Festival.

In its 18th year, RIFF 2021 returns from the limits of a virtual year with a long list of quality films, a star-studded guest lineup, and after-parties that keep the proverbial red carpet rolling into the night.

Surviving Clotilda is a 25-minute documentary telling the extraordinary story of America’s last slave ship, the Clotilda, and of the 110 Africans imprisoned aboard whose resilience turned horror into hope. In 1860 the schooner smuggled African captives into Mobile Bay, Alabama — more than 50 years after the importation of enslaved humans was outlawed.

For Ginger Steele of Columbus, Georgia’s film and TV production industry provided a new career path in her 40s. Ginger, now 51, was working in radio when Columbus State University began offering its associate degree program to help people start production careers.

Under the banner theme “Virtual / Vital / Visionary,” SAG-AFTRA kicked off its fifth biennial National Convention Friday afternoon. The convention began Oct. 15 and runs through Oct. 18. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher officially opened the event by inviting first responders, active duty and veteran delegates to lead the pledge of allegiance.

A local Columbus organization is calling for all school-aged children to come learn how to make their own commercial. It’s part of an effort to stop the violence.

Disney is coming to Coastal Georgia for a new feature film. And it’s just in time for Halloween. According to Tammy Smith Casting, a Disney feature film is scheduled to shoot in Brunswick later this month.

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which represents crew members ranging from technicians to makeup artists, came to an agreement with the group that represents producers such as Netflix, Viacom, Paramount and Disney. IATSE has 6,000 members in Georgia and 60,000 overall.

“Our team is stronger and deeper than ever. We’re so grateful for everyone who works with us – for their constant vigilance and endless oversight – who help us do what we do! We’re now offering rapid molecular testing via Cue devices. With Cue, we can test over a dozen people in about 20 minutes.”

Current awards include: Best Game $500, Made in Georgia $100, Best Production $100, Best Design $100, Most Fun $100, Best Student Game $100, Best Analog Game $100, Best Audio $100, Best Art $100, Best Booth $100, Audience (SIEGE) Choice $100

Business owners and entertainment professionals from Columbus and beyond attended the Film Columbus GA virtual event on Wednesday, September 22nd. The event, usually held live, connects entertainment professionals, artists and local businesses.

There was a day not all that long ago that movies set in Minnesota were actually filmed here, too. Fargo, Purple Rain, Grumpy Old Men—they’re all films that helped put Minnesota on the Hollywood map.

The Georgia Latino Film Alliance (GALFA) has appointed Julie Ann Crommett, a former Walt Disney Studios, NBC Universal and Google exec, as its new board chair.

Roughly 17,000 set designers, make-up artists and other behind-the-scenes film and TV production workers who helped make Georgia an East Coast rival to Hollywood might walk off the set if their national union and the producers’ guild don’t negotiate a new contract.

At a grand-opening event in Columbia County for Amazon’s newest robotics facility in the Peach State, Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Georgia has earned the “Top State for Doing Business” title for the eighth year in a row from Area Development.

Making it to the top five was Dear Evan Hansen, Stephen Chbosky’s movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical which continued to underperform with $2.4 million. The film, top-billed by Ben Platt who reprises his stage role on the big screen, has made only $11.7 million so far.

Because video games are a mix of creative content and technology, there are many types of businesses that benefit, and/or benefit from, video game development. Past presenters have included:

We are glad to announce a mix of new and veteran SIEGE speakers when SIEGE2021 goes online Nov. 5 & 6, with great presentations online and safe networking events in person. The first sessions we have announced include:

The largest university-run film festival in the U.S., the eight-day celebration of cinematic excellence honors both professional and student filmmakers and welcomes major industry luminaries, including award-winning directors, writers, and actors.

Dune, Denis Villeneuve’s well-received feature adaptation of roughly the first half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 science-fiction novel, debuted impressively in the international market, especially in Russia, Italy, Germany, and France.

The decision was made in light of the current situation surrounding Covid-19 and the rapid spread of the Delta variant of the virus as part of ongoing efforts to keep the health and safety of DreamHack staff and visitors a priority.

We’ve also successfully wrapped two Netflix shows, where our team of COVID Officers (with production and medical background) worked diligently to keep massive crews tested and safe for the entire multi-month run. Never enduring a shutdown is a badge of honor for us!

“We set out to make Third Rail Studios a special, welcoming place for our productions as well as a catalyst for good in the community. We’re happy that we’ve exceeded those goals and are passing the torch on a high note,” said Third Rail Studios President, Dan Rosenfelt.

The event will offer global access to creative geniuses in the industry at the top of their craft in the fields of animation, visual effects, motion media design, and gaming content across all platforms and genres.

This year our annual SIEGE Investment Conference will be hybrid, with pitch teams presenting at Axis Replay to judges both virtual and in person.

The Columbus Film Commission is inviting those interested to attend the next Film Columbus GA event. This virtual event will take place on September 22rd at 3:00 PM and will be hosted via ZOOM.

The industry’s top concern at the Capitol is the film and TV tax credit, which provides a 20-25% discount on eligible production spending in the state. In July, Newsom signed a two-year expansion of the program, bringing it to $420 million a year, and indicated he would support making that increase permanent.

The Motion Picture Association congratulates Fran Drescher on being elected the new President of SAG-AFTRA. The last year and a half have demonstrated yet again how much we can get done as an industry when we work collaboratively together.

The Savannah College of Art and Design proudly premieres Escalate, a SCAD-produced fashion film directed by Chris Anthony Hamilton that lauds historic changemakers and their legacies.

They watched eight short films ranging from two to 20 minutes produced by college student filmmakers from the United States and Germany. Following the screening, the students participated in a Q&A session with four of the filmmakers.

With the demand and need for sound stages and production space in Savannah growing, the news of a new studio opening in December 2022 was welcoming news and the talk of the town for the film community in Savannah.

Two films starring Gerard Butler and a Disney flick starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have been shot in Georgia in recent years.

Governor Brian P. Kemp announced the allocation of $5.8 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to Explore Georgia, the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Kemp shared the news with tourism industry professionals from across the state at the Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference, an annual industry event.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings not only shattered the ceiling as the trailblazing Asian and Asian-American-led superhero film but it also crushed all box office forecasts, tracking estimates, and Hollywood predictions.

Georgia-based esports and gaming lifestyle organization, Ghost Gaming, has partnered with Generation Esports, the founder of the High School Esports (HSEL) and Middle School Esports League (MSEL), to deliver esports via the independent non-profit Georgia Scholastic Esports Foundation (GSEF).

Previously known as the Milledgeville-Eatonton Film Festival, the ME Film Festival is announcing new dates and a new location for screenings. The 8th Annual ME Film Festival will be taking place Nov. 15 – 21, 2021 in Eatonton, GA. Screenings will be shown at the Plaza Arts Center located at 305 N Madison Avenue in downtown Eatonton.

In light of the recent Delta variant surge and fan feedback regarding travel, mask mandates and increased risk, the Fandemic Dead event, originally scheduled at the Georgia World Congress Center for Sept. 17-19, has been postponed to March 18-20, 2022 in the same locale.

This week, we talk with Randy Davidson, publisher of Georgia Entertainment News (GEN)! GEN publishes a regular emailed newsletter of top entertainment news, hosts events for leaders in the industry across the state, produces podcasts with interesting people in film, TV, production, gaming, and music, and offers a Resource Guide for productions active in Georgia.

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is thrilled to celebrate our students who have achieved the highest honor in the television industry. This week the Regional Southeast EMMY Chapter announced the winners of the 2021 Southeast Regional Student Production Awards.

Home audiences around the world will have the chance to see two major new productions from The Atlanta Opera next month, with Spotlight Media’s release of The Threepenny Carmen, starring Megan Marino, Richard Trey Smagur and Michael Mayes (Aug 12), and The Threepenny Opera, featuring Jay Hunter Morris, Ronnita Miller and Gina Perregrino (Aug 19).

The alternative venue at Savannah Station is designed to meet the dual goals of presenting world-class jazz and blues free of charge to the City of Savannah while adhering to the guidelines of promoting the health and safety of our musicians, attendees, sponsors, and suppliers.

This year literally took off like a getaway driver when television series “Getaway Driver” was filmed on location in Augusta, Georgia in the beginning months of 2021 for the Discovery Channel and Discovery+.

Pap’s Manifesto’ (previously titled “Mayflower”) is the recipient of multiple awards in North America. The deeply moving story of a grief-stricken father’s commitment to avenge his son’s death, underlines the complex themes of hurt, hate, and hope.

Located just 3 miles from downtown Savannah, Fort Jackson began construction in 1808 as part of President Jefferson’s Second System coastal defense…

With less than a month left, The FRIENDS™ Experience wraps its massively successful run in Atlanta on Sunday, Sept. 26. The 18k square foot immersive experience created by Superfly X, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Warner Bros. Television Group, won’t be back in the Peach State, so there is a very limited time to still check it out.

“Skillshot Media’s new production studio and learning center will be a game changer in Georgia as the state’s esports ecosystem continues to grow and thrive,” said Asante Bradford, the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Senior Industry Engagement Manager, Center of Innovation – IT.

As a result of the success of Georgia’s film industry and specifically the progress in Columbus, GA, the Columbus Film Commission will host it’s next quarterly meeting in-person on September 22, 2021. These events connect entertainment professionals, artists and local businesses. The next event will be held at the River Center for the Performing Arts beginning at 3:00 PM.

Roam, a coworking operator, will open a new location in September inside the Two-Ten office building within Town at Trillith in Fayetteville. The mixed-use project is located adjacent to Trilith Studios, a 1,000-acre movie studio formerly known as Pinewood Atlanta Studios that has produced movies such as Avengers: Endgame and Ant-Man.

Tosca Musk, the younger sister of entrepreneurs Elon and Kimbal Musk, also is moving her permanent residence to south Fulton County and locating her production office in Palmetto.

Burnett is known for developing reality competition shows “Survivor” and “The Apprentice” as well as a raft of faith-based television and film projects such as “The Bible,” “Son of God” and “Woodlawn.”

“The unprecedented record-breaking numbers we are seeing for the state of Georgia with its film and entertainment efforts, we certainly in DeKalb County are seeing that too,” Decide DeKalb Development Authority Director of Marketing and Communications Terra Washington said.

This signature event occurs at the CSU Riverside Theater Complex, in the heart of downtown, near the banks of the Chattahoochee River. Alongside three days of multiple Film Blocks, festival fans also enjoy all of the interactive elements of the festival experience; music, art, parties, and more.

The FRIENDS™ Experience Atlanta has caused such excitement since opening on July 15that the end date has been extended from Sept. 6 to Sept. 26. Fans can continue revisiting some of the most iconic moments from the hit series, FRIENDS™ at the 17,959-square-foot immersive experience created by Superfly X, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Warner Bros. Television Group.

Last weekend, PC&E employees gathered at Trinity Anglican Church in Atlanta to prepare meals for the hungry worldwide. PC&E, lead by Mark Wofford locally, is a full-service rental company providing top-of-the-line equipment, sound stages and sales and expendables to film, television and commercial productions.

The SIEGE Investment Conference is the oldest investment conference in the Southeast that focuses on video games and related industries. It gives entrepreneurs in these industries an opportunity to pitch their business concepts to potential investors.

“It is a dream come true to bring our first physical storefront to the Trilith community,” said Leyland Blue founder and owner Kaylan Griffie. “Since 2013, this idea has been brewing, so we are excited to finally bring our carefully handpicked selections and unique products to Trilith Town Centre.”

Greenspoon Marder announced the expansion of the firm’s Entertainment, Media & Technology Industry Group with the addition of eight new attorneys. Sandra Brown, Alan Clarke, Kendall Minter, and Peter Stathopoulos join the firm’s new Atlanta office. Aliya Nelson, Robert Rando, Jerry Juste, and Katie Heron join the firm’s New York office.

The Fandemic Dead is walking into Atlanta Sept. 17-19 and will give guests a one-of-a-kind opportunity to immerse themselves into the world of the hit series “The Walking Dead” at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Atlanta-based Stream MOKO is a brand-new streaming platform featuring curated uplifting and inspiring content as well as original shows designed to help viewers live their best lives.

The Bridge Grant provided funding for operating support to 135 organizations, the Project Grant will help fund 54 arts projects, and the Arts Education Program Grant was awarded to 77 organizations. Additional grants for Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities programs will be awarded in the Fall of 2021.

Moviegoers can enjoy a diverse mix of dramas, documentary, family-friendly fare, a Hollywood classic comedy, and even short films in a series of screenings at the Aurora Cineplex in Roswell (5100 Commerce Pkwy, Roswell, GA 30076), as well as via streaming in the AJFF Virtual Cinema.

In this 8-week online course taught by Madison Hatfield, you’ll learn the fundamentals of writing comedy scenes, explore idea generation, and work to develop good writing discipline and habits. You will learn scene structure and editing techniques as well as explore writing in proper script formatting.

The GGDA has grown to value livestreaming play tests, and August has a number of great opportunities for you to join us as we do so. From Aug. 3-6 (noon EST), Andrew Greenberg livestreams playtests of a new version of Holistic Design’s Noble Armada: Lost Worlds PC game on Youtube.

Presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), the annual festival is filled with cinematic creativity from award-winning professionals and emerging student filmmakers. Each year, more than 63,000 people attend the eight-day festival.

For the seventh year in a row The Black Cat Picture Show, Augusta’s premier international film festival, brings high caliber independent films and filmmakers to Augusta for a weekend devoted to cinema and cinema lovers alike.

I’m excited to finally be sharing the film beyond festivals and home screenings and obviously hope that billions of people worldwide see it multiple times, but truthfully I’d be happy if just a buttload of people saw it, including you.

In June 2020, the major motion picture, television, and streaming companies committed to bringing back and hiring an estimated 40,000 production workers to work on 75 production projects in the state that would invest over $2 billion into the Georgia economy over the following 18 months.

Another big piece of news: we are in the process of moving to a larger space to accommodate our growing business. We are always ready to give you a tour to check out all that we have to offer, including all of your production equipment needs, a soundstage and green screen.

Etowah Film Festival will be back in person for Year 3 at the Historic Canton Theatre in Canton, Georgia October 7-10. Hosting a wide variety of local and international films, panels, a screenplay competition, and networking parties throughout the weekend, EFF’s mission is to reinvigorate the theatrical experience through unique, thoughtful, curation and a hell of a lot of fun.

Savannah Jazz launched a campaign two years ago to achieve support for our planned Savannah Jazz History Exhibit to be housed in the Savannah History Museum downtown. Savannah’s rich Jazz history has is as old and significant as that of New Orleans, but the story has yet to be told.

Eclipse Creative announces the launch of its latest creation, “Homegrown,” on Magnolia Network and Discovery+. Executive produced by Jennifer Mador and Showrunner Nicole Chiulli, Homegrown follows Jamila Norman, an Atlanta-based farmer, as she helps families transform their ordinary, urban backyards into working farms.

Marvel’s “Black Widow” is now out in theaters and streaming on Disney+ with Premier Access. There’s a chance you’ll spot some familiar locations if you watch closely.

Zach Breder is missing a right ventricle in his heart. He’s had more than 10 surgeries that have helped keep him alive into his teens, including one just six weeks ago. The 16-year-old Cartersville resident also happens to love filmmaking and had a vision to create a science fiction movie.

David Paterson, partner at Arcady Bay Entertainment, said the new studio will be the first one in the city built specifically for film and TV production. The Savannah College of Art and Design operates three sound stages in a converted meat-packing plant, and recently announced plans to expand the facility.

Always subject to change and often set before filming begins, here is the latest info on release dates for projects that filmed in Georgia.

The Georgia Council for the Arts, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), today announced the recipients of its Bridge, Project, and Arts Education grants as part of its initial disbursement of grants for fiscal year 2022. A total of 266 grants were awarded that will provide more than $2 million in funding towards arts initiatives throughout the state.

In Part I of our three-part blog series on payroll pain points, we explored five of the most prevalent challenges small businesses face, including dealing with compliance issues, managing manual and time-consuming processes, and grappling with understaffing challenges.

“We are beyond grateful that the City and WSAV will continue their lead partnerships to deliver the 40th Savannah Jazz Festival, poised to reach our biggest audience ever,” says Paula Fogarty, Interim Executive Director. Last year’s festival was live streamed from Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum reaching 175,000 people around the world and all shows will be streamed again this year in front of the largest live audiences.

The winners of the Olympic Virtual Series Baseball, Motor Sport and Sailing Events received an Olympic Virtual Series Plaque (winner, 1st runner up, 2nd runner up). The winner (first place only) of each of the competitive events will also have the opportunity to hold the Olympic Virtual Series trophy at a special awarding occasion to be organised later in 2021, subject to travel possibilities during this global pandemic.

SITORA is inspired by a lost Malay horror film from 1964 entitled SITORA HARIMAU JADIAN. The film was written and directed by Malaysian auteur P. Ramlee and was shown at least once on Radio Television Malaysia. The film is rumored to have been destroyed in a flood.

Tickets can be purchased for $15 (+ fees) at discounted Early Bird Rate for the first 100 people. General Admission Advanced tickets are $25 (+ fees) and Day of Show Tickets are $30 (+ fees).

Business owners and entertainment professionals from Columbus and beyond attended the Film Columbus GA virtual event on Wednesday, June 23rd. The event, usually held live, connects entertainment professionals, artists and local businesses.

The Pennsylvania Legislature opted not to include a proposed expansion of the state’s film incentive program in its 2021-22 budget — a setback for the local entertainment industry’s efforts to entice more Hollywood projects to film in the commonwealth.

The American Music Fairness Act also levels the playing field by ensuring all competing music platforms are treated the same and ending the archaic and unfair subsidy under which FM/AM stations pay nothing for recorded music while their digital competitors pay fair market value royalties.

Striving for three decades to receive a named role in a major film production, Columbus native Thedra Porter has reached that goal in a movie featuring one of Hollywood’s most popular stars.

Payroll: it’s a love/hate relationship for many business owners. It’s a critical activity for serving your employees, but the process is notoriously cumbersome.

Women in Music (WIM) Atlanta connected with four fellow WIM Chapters to feature women leaders and performers in five of the top music cities in the U.S. — Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and New York City in June. The online event, entitled WIM Atlanta Presents: Five City Music Tour, was free for WIM members all over the U.S.

Bennett Thrasher, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing certified public accounting and consulting firms, is one of six firms in the country approved by the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) to conduct new mandatory film tax credit audits for production companies.

TDJREV continues to be focused on change and intentional about how and where it invests to ensure that its development vision helps break down barriers to success, supports the social and financial impact goals within communities to help the economy better perform and fuel advancement for all citizens.

“We are beyond grateful that the City and WSAV will continue their lead partnerships to deliver the 40th Savannah Jazz Festival, poised to reach our biggest audience ever,” says Paula Fogarty, Interim Executive Director. Last year’s festival was live streamed from Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum reaching 175,000 people around the world.

In addition to producing the film, Bradford helped write the screenplay and played the lead character. Other actors hired locally were for roles as extras and six of the baseball players used in “Undefiled” were former collegiate players from Macon.

Experience music again! Lost Art Music Festival debuts June 12, 2021 at gorgeous Foxhall Resort in Douglasville with a lineup featuring St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Shovels & Rope, The War and Treaty, Ben Nichols of Lucero and The Pink Stones, plus a Friday Night Kickoff Show with Aaron Lee Tasjan.

Leaders from 13 film studios showcased a sampling of their summer movie releases in celebration of the nationwide return of movie theatres. As a part of The Big Screen Is Back initiative, the May event featured presentations from studio heads and executives, as well as notable actors and filmmakers, including JJ Abrams and Maggie Q.

Gov. Brian Kemp and a few dozen state and local officials visited Gwinnett Technical College on Monday to celebrate the beginning of a $37.8 million project that aims to educate more students interested in careers in cybersecurity and other emerging technologies as well as some bread-and-butter courses such as welding and physics.

As the union behind entertainment, we know that funding for the arts directly impacts job growth and work for our skilled craftspeople. Federal arts agencies – like the National Endowment for the Arts – support working families, bolster local economies, and ensure all Americans have access to the arts and entertainment.

By launching the program, KSU has joined a growing number of institutions nationwide participating in intercollegiate Esports. According to the National Association of Collegiate Esports, of which Kennesaw State is now a member, there were just seven varsity Esports programs at colleges and universities in July 2016.